Batching apparatus



Nv.29,193s.- CQSJOHNSQN' Y .2,138,172

BATCHING APPARATUS Filed Feb. 1o, 1937 K n s sheets-sheetv 1 Nov. 29, 1938. c. s. JOHNSON BATCHING APARATUS,

Filed Feb. 10, 1937 SSheetS-Sheet 2 n Imi C'H/mfs 5. 7mm/50N.

Nov. 29, 1938. c; s. JoHNsoN v BATCHING- APPARATUS 3l `Sheets--Sheet 3 Filed Feb. 1o, 1937 WN., m0, uw m s., N//v R H FHU.

of sluggish flowing nermaterials or substanties,

such 'as sand' or gravel, and fast flowing heavy materials such as fine rock and heavy or larger rock particles, there is a ,tendency on the vpart of said heavier materlalsflowing at higher velocity to a common point of intermingling, to cut oif or retard the flow of the finer materials by an intercepting actidn in respect to the latter.

Therefore, fthe invention involves certain :improved baille means located adjacent to the discharge portion of the main hopper, at whichthe streams of discharging nner and heavier aggregates meet and commingle, yi'or preventingthe gregates are caused-.to meet for commingling as they issuefrom said-discharge.portion. By the heavier materials ilowingdirectly across the pathf" of movement of the gravitating finer materials from retarding and partially cutting oif the flow of said ner materials. In this way the flows of the severalnner and 'heavier aggregates are prevented from interfering with one another'and especially.` .the flow of the;` finer, materials is con- :trolledgand denected in such .a wayv thatsaid yheavier materials 'will not intercept and check or-H retard the flowing action:` of the fine1` Yaggregates. Thus, I am enabled-to obtain in this way a controlled, substantially veven ilowof the various nner, and heavier aggregates vat the discharging.,

portion of ahopper or hoppersat which the agrneans just referred to, insuring .the uniformity of ilowing of the'several commingling aggregate materials, thehomogeneousness of the premixed materials is,s"ubstantially increased-as a step of treatment.

As a subsidiary `feature of theinvention, there is provided intermediate the discharge portion of theirY preparation the cement hopper and the adjacentportion of the mainhopper in which it is movably, mounted,

a flexible ishroud or apron carried by the cement hopper and havinglcontact with the main hopper at points adjacent to-the cement hopper discharge, the said shroud or apron being an ei'ec- -f tive means for sealingoff the dust usually rising as. an incident. to the discharge .o f. cement from Y any receptacle, and f romblowing and filling the air while the c ernent batcher is discharging its contents into and through the aggregate batcher to passcn to the mixer orotherplace of reception for thecombined or hatched aggregates.

yIn the accompanying drawings- ,Figure 1 is a general .view in elevation and partlybroken away,f to show certain featuresin section,v of, a hatching apparatusembodying the invention, a portion of a truck mixerbeing ilf Y iustrated as receivingthe batchedfmaterials.

f that of Figure 2. f Figure 4 is afragmentary sectional view of the discharge portions of the twohoppers, with the e Figure 2`is a vertical sectional view throughthe discharge portions of the supply bins andthe main and auxiliary. hoppers, also thechargingchutepf astationary mixer, bringing out clearly the relative mounting of the h oppers.

Figure3 is a sectional view of the batching hoppers, the section being taken at a right angle to gat'eslof both vhoppers 'closed as distinguished from the condition illustrated inFiguresyl, 2, and 3.

Figure 5 isa horizonal sectional view ftaken about on the line 5.-5 of Figure 1.

Referring to 'the drawings',especiallyl 1,

itv is-noted that the apparatus,involvingtheinvention may comprises. pluralityv of supply bins, yas, including the {bin I forsandf'the bin :2 for cement,` and the bin 3 for larger aggregate such as for subsequent mixing or other' rock. There may be two of the bins 8 for the rock aggregate because it is desirable usually that the apparatus be equipped with means to supply A coarsel rock and ne rock, and Figure 2 shows two such bins 3, one of the bins not being seen in Figure 1. There are provided weighing mechanisms,one designated4,for the cement, and the other designated 5, for one or more coarser aggregates which may be 'weighed vseparately on one scale and separately from the cement.

The weighing mechanisms 4 and 5 may each be functionally of conventional type such as is used commonly in the art to which the invention relatesybut each must include suitable separate scalefbearns systems, one set for supporting the main aggregates hopper 'I and another set for supporting the. cement hopper 8. In Figure 3 the ag- Vgregate scale lever devices I0 are connected by the hanger rods 9 to the aggregate hopper l. The

Corresponding devicesv andhanger rods for supporting the cement hopper 8 are not shown in Figure3.

Asseen best yin Figures 2 and 3, the supplyfbins [I andIS-'areequipped with suitable gates I I that control the passage' ofsthesand and fine and `caerse rock aggregates to the main hopper 1. The

operatingmeans for these valves or .gates II may be of any suitable type. The rcement may: be supplied from one or more bins such as designated 2 and previously referred to, see Figure `3, to a conduit I2in which are mounted screw conveyors I3 that carry the cement intothe discharge portion I4 for said cement bin, said discharge controlled by thevalve or gateI Ia, see vFigure 3. yThe cement `discharge I4 is connected to theupper closed portionIS of the cement hopper 8'by the metal hood I1 and the flexible apron HI8, the'latter sealing the connection between the hopper 8 and` the hood Il so as to prevent escape of cement dust, in an obvious manner.

As seen best in Figure 2,-the main hopper 1 is equipped with partition means I8 creating a rigid walled compartment- 20 therein.; In this com- -partment and with its walls spacedfrom the walls I9 -is disposed the cement` hopper 8.-, previous1y mentioned,A the spacing. being such that the hopper 8 is free4 to move relativelyjt the hopper 1,

and the hopper 1 is entirely free 'to move relative- ,-ly to. thehopper 8. By this construction inde pendent weighing operations of the respective .hoppersl and 8, bymeans of their scale mechanisms 5 and '4, respectively, may be performed. The lower end ofthe compartment walls-I8 converge asseen atIQa, so that they provide a d is chargeopening above the discharge Vopening at the bnttom of the hopper 1 vSurrounding-the discharge opening at the bottom of the hopper is vtheilexible apron or shroud 2| which ispendant,

f secured rat its further edge-to the hopper 8 adjacent its discharge and adapted atv its lower end to .contact with the adjacent; lower portion I9a of the compartment .-wall I8, the eifect of the discharge of the cement through the shroud or circular `apron 2I.beingto cause its said lower end to seal itself against the portion .I9a near the .lowerfextrernityof the Yla t ter. The discharge portion ofthe receptacle or hopper 8., i s adapted tobe closed by any suitable type of Avalve or gate such as designated 22 in Figure 53.., The discharge por-vr tion of the hopper 'I is adapted to be closed. sim- In Figure 3 there is illustrated'la manual :lever 'lov ilarly by any suitable type of valveor gate 28 in 24 connected by links 25 with the gate or valve 22 of the cement hopper 8. A similar lever 26 is connected'by links21 toth'evgate 23 offthehopper 1.

cement hopperdischa'rge` and the mainl aggre- .g'ates hopper v1, and which 'shroud Ais pressedv against the adjacent portions of-'the rlattexvhopiier Vwhen'the rush of cement in kdischarginglfrom `the hopper'8takes place.

-The operation of the-apparatus 'parent fromV the'ioregoing disclosure'oftheconstruction. j As the cementfis fed into `its hopper 8,

it is measured by` weight until` the required amount is registered upon the 'scale mechanism 4. Similarly, the larger aggregates" of sand, iine and weighed therein consecutively. 'The hoppers fl and 8`-are Aadapted `tofmov'up, anddown independently of each other and ofcourse mover" downwardly asthe materialsv to beweighed arev deposited therein. Said `materials',i-iconcrete aggregates in` this'instance, are retained in the hoppers' and 8 by the closed dischargegates at` therdischarge portions of 'said hoppers.'Y When` l` tha-discharge gates 22 and 23 are" opened it willk be apparenti that thecement beingfdisposed so asf" to discharge downwardly between and -into'thelother aggregates of i sand, iine rock, `'and coarse rock, wiube int'ermmgled with and? mi the "voids" of thelatter as`-` the various aggregates pour" out of the discharge for the hopper 1, adjacentto the i cording to the presentinvention, fisfnot :caused gate23. This commingled action involves in part the principle of Vthe gravitational mixing method previously referred-to herein, `and consequently some pre-mixing and shrinkage of the over-all batch, and eiects other practical advantages in` the employment of the apparatus under conditions of service. The aggregate materials from the discharge controlled by the gate 23 may pass to a charging chute 28 `that leads to a stationary concretetmixer 29, as seen in Figur-.e 2, or` they may pas`s`to a gathering hopper 30 directing them to the receiving opening of the rotating mixerV 32 of a truck mixer type vehicle.

As clearlyshown in the drawings, therevare located within and adjacent to the discharge` portion of the main hopper 1, vertical'dividing partitions 3| rigidly fixed toand between the compartment member 2li and the lowermost walls of the hopper 1. The partitions'3l are arranged so as to handle four different aggregate ymaterials, according to the illustration in Figure 5, as for instance large stone running from approxi` mately 1%" to 3" size,.smal1er stone of 3/4" to 11/2" grade, gravel M4 to 3A" grade, and sand. The action of the partitions 3| isto maintain the said materials separated, practically speaking, until they issue from the discharge opening of the hopper 1 which is controlled by the gate 23.

apron 2| coacts as previously described.

It will be seen that because of the dispositionv of the partitions 3| vertically and their location in the' path of flow movement ofl the several aggregates above mentioned, they will deiiect the flow of the aggregates as they pass through the space between the lower end of 'the member 'I .f and the lower end of the member 2U, the deflection being from the inclined or angle path of movement to a substantially vertical path of will be apwithl all ofthe various vmanner.-`` f aggregatesbygisaid larger aggregates., The cement feed. may be characterized as central of the surrounding vornconcentric feeds of :the aggre- :g-ates in :the discharge portion of the apparatus between thewdischarge opening `o1! thehopper 1 and-the lower .end 'of the.member20,facilitating the'pickin'g up and intermingling ofthe;y cement aggregates, inian obvious In Figure 1'- the gathering or directingrv hopper 30 is shown as equipped with a surrounding' water f vsupplyingchamber 34, to which waterl of a prerock, and coarse rock'are supplied'f'tothe hopper Y determined quantity or weight is ,led from a measuring tank or like container 35, wherein'the water is `measuredfin any suitablemrnanner, through a conduit36 toV the chamber 3|. A'The 'chamber or compartment 34vdischarges. the water -in a'streamzof tubular cross-section?surrounding thatpourrouthofrthe said hopperndischarge to enter the mixer 32 or'anyfsuitable receiver. Thus the waterto 'be mixed with .the aggregates is not r-fed to the .uppenhoppers1and`8 orto the dry aggregates thereininthe former manner .of so doing, which' has resulted irrzgumming up the materialsin cron 'saidhoppers The water,-ac

to commingle with the dry aggregates as they tical standpoint as will readily be'apparent to those versed in the art. Theintermixing of the f water anddry aggregates, jwhere brought toi gether, is highly eiiicient because-the precipitated water enters the'flowing shaft of dryaggregates fromall lsides* thereof to penetrate and com- A mingle with said dry aggregates.

Sc far as -I am aware,'it has not been proposed heretofore toemploy the novel method and batch-- ing systemv `of the invention which involves the accurate and separate measuring by weight of the.

cement, and. larger aggregates, for the batch to be mixed`,supplemented by the intermingling of the cement in the-voids of the larger aggregates as thetwo, namely the cement and larger aggregates,rare'fed to the "mixer with the water. 'I'he pre-mixingVcreating a prefshrinkage of the combinedmaterials of the batch thus obtained before entering the mixer, has been found tok be of important commercial advantage.

, Having thus described my invention, what I i `claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Pat- Vent of the United States, is: y

f1. In a bat'chi'ng aparatus of the class de- -`s"cribed, in combination, a main hopper to receive aggregate material, an auxiliary hopper disposed within the mainhopper, weighing mechanisms one for each hopper, and means for connecting the hoppers with the weighing mechanismV therefor so that each hopper may move independently relatively tothe other and the materials containedr therein. l y y l k 2. In a batching apparatus of the class described," iny combination, a main hopper to'receive aggregate material, an auxiliary hopper disposed within the main hopper,.weighing me'cha'nismsone for each hopperymeans for connectingthe hoppers each'fwith its weighing'mech' yanisrns therefor sol that ythehoppers `may tmove independently relatively: tol each other `andthe materials containedtherein,".the said hoppers `being providedwith coordinateddischarge'adjacent yto one another 'arranged 'for intermingled flow discharge of materials, and a fiexible shroud intermediate 'the .discharge vof the auxiliary hopperA and the discharge portion ofthe inain hopper. j

3.' A batching apparatus asclaimed in-claim 2, wherein the said shroud is .suspendedfrom the auxiliary hopper adjacent .to its=discharge porf sealing relationtothe discharge. portion of the tion and has a portion thereof in contacting dust l 4. In a-batching1apparatus,.in combination, an l outer main aggregates hopper formed lwith a and,- comprising finer aggregates and largerv partition wall or walls therein providing a compartment, anauxiliaryhopper movably disposed, c

` in said compartment, discharge means for` the main-hopper, a discharge controlling the auxiliary hopperto enable a. discharge ofthe contents of the; latter into thetdischargeportion of. i the main hopper, and meansconnecting the ,dis-

, chargevportion ofthe auxiliary hopper'with the., adjacent portion of the main Vhopper for prevent ing blowing of'of dustV from the material in the `auxiliaryhopper as it passes therefrom except into the discharging material from the main mentdisposed so as to discharge thecement onto and into.,v the coarser.aggregate. material, disy charge means for each of said hoppermthe same being concentrically disposed and serving to pro- Vduce commingling of the cement and coarser agv -gregate,, meanswhereby the quantity of the cement in the cement hopperY and the quantity Vof coarser aggregates in `the main hopper therefor mayl be `accurately measured independently,

means-.for dischargingeach of said hoppers toA effect thecommingling action referred vjto as the aggregates pass from the hoppers` flowing in a shaft-like' stream While the hoppers are dischargf ing, and instrumentalities to-supply waterto the fiowingshaft of aggregates in a-tubular stream4 surrounding said aggregates and; owing into same at an angle thereto. l

v 6. The method of hatching agsregate materials such as vused for making concrete or the like,

heavier aggregates, which includes the step of flowing ,said aggregates at angles to 4each other to a common point ofdischarge, preventing the heavier aggregates from intercepting and retardingthe finer fiowing aggregates at thesaid disjcharge as they issue therefrom, causing cement to meet the flow of y9.110114 saidv finer and heavier aggregates at said point of.discharge in a zone v relative to which the pathsgjof the flowing ner -l and heavier aggregates are concentric, and iiowrected .to s thereto.

enter said aggregates Vsty-an angle CHARLES s; JOHNSON.

` 30 ing water to the said finer and coarse aggregates v ina tubular-stream surrounding themv and di- 

